Harvard did, in fact, come back, but the Spartans rebounded for an 80-73 victory Saturday night that helped them advance to the Sweet 16.

Dawson finished with 26 points — 20 before halftime — although Travis Trice hit the most important shot. His 3-pointer gave the Spartans a 63-62 lead after Harvard had overcome a 16-point deficit to take a two-point advantage with 7:12 left.

"They stayed poised and we knew they were going to make a run," Michigan State guard Gary Harris said. "They're here for a reason. They made that run, but we stuck together as a team and we were able to fight through it."

The fourth-seeded Spartans (28-8) will play top-seeded Virginia or No. 8 seed Memphis next Friday in the East Regional semifinals at Madison Square Garden.

Harvard (28-5) heads home, but not without making a statement of its own in the NCAA tournament.

"We showed everybody that we can come all year and play with the best," sophomore guard Siyani Chambers said.

The rally started with a pair of 3-pointers by Brandyn Curry and continued relentlessly. The Crimson grabbed almost every loose ball, kept hands in Michigan State's flustered faces. Steve Moundou-Missi, the 6-foot-7 forward who was supposed to contain Michigan State's 6-10 power player, Adreian Payne, simply outplayed him.

When Moundou-Missi tipped in a missed shot with 10:22 left, Harvard trailed only 55-53.

Michigan State called a timeout but Izzo's play produced an offensive foul. Moundou-Missi missed a layup, but Wesley Saunders, who led the Crimson with 22 points, scrambled for a loose ball and dunked to tie it.

"You look down the other end, and I've got a good friend that's down there," said Izzo, who goes back more than 20 years with Harvard coach Tommy Amaker.

Yet somehow, once the Spartans lost the lead, they started playing better. Harvard's lead lasted just 18 seconds.

After Trice put the Spartans ahead, Rivard missed a 25-footer — part of a 2-for-5, seven-point night in which he was shut down by Harris. Payne came back with two free throws and Harris made a 3 of his own, part of an 18-point, five-assist night that complemented his great defense.

"It was a scare and we need to give credit to Harvard," Michigan State guard Denzel Valentine said.

Payne followed his career-high, 41-point night in the opener against Delaware with a modest 12 points, but the final lesson in this one was all the ways Michigan State can beat you.

Dawson had matched his previous career best of 20 points by halftime. When he took a pass from Trice for a layup with 1:54 left, he gave the Spartans a 73-67 lead.

Harvard pulled within four and Moundou-Missi blocked Keith Appling's shot on the other end. But the Spartans won a scramble for the ball and Amaker stomped his foot and shouted.

The game was pretty much over by then and both teams had proven a point: Harvard can play with anyone, and Michigan State can handle a legitimate challenge.

"A wonderful effort by our team," Amaker said. "But you have to play perfect basketball to pull a game out like that."

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